The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
Times of Malta reports that 15% of HSBC staff have applied to retire early. It also quotes the prime minister saying decisions on Air Malta need to be taken within weeks.
In-Nazzjon says Maltese diplomats are disillusioned over the summit meetings held in Malta because they were sidelined. It also quotes Simon Busuttil saying the PN is giving a voice to the people.
l-orizzont says work will start in January on converting old Dock 1 workshops into the American University of Malta, starting with the removal of asbestos.
The Malta Independent says there have been no developments in investigations into the New Year’s Day 2012 murder of Duncan Zammit.
The overseas press
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said he would try to form a new government after his People’s Party (PP) lost the parliamentary majority in yesterday’s general election and two new political movements secured 33 per cent of the votes between them.
Meanwhile, El Pais quotes official results released early this morning showing Rajoy’s party garnered 28.72 per cent of the votes, representing 123 seats. Its traditional rival, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), got 22 per cent and 90 seats. Newcomers Podemos and Ciudadanos came third and fourth, gaining 20 and 13.9 per cent, respectively. At least 176 seats are needed to have parliamentary majority.
Slovenians have rejected legislation that would grant same-sex couples the right to marry and adopt children. Dnevnik says results show 63 per cent voted against a Bill that defines marriage as a union of two adults, while 37 per cent were in favour.
At least 91 people are missing after a massive landslide in southern China which damaged over 30 buildings. According to the CCTV, the landslide hit the city of Shenzhen, in Guangdong province.
Indosair TV announces the search resumed this morning for a ferry missing in central Indonesia with more than 100 people on board. Nearly 80 people are still missing after the ferry ran into trouble in rough weather in Sulawesi on Saturday. Three people, including two children, have been confirmed dead so far.
The Daily Express reports more than 60 British parliamentarians have asked British prime Minister David Cameron to put pressure on the UN to recognise as genocide the killings and torture of religious minorities by the Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.
The Norwegian daily Klassekampen has leaked the details of a report compiled by an independent Norwegian oil and gas consulting firm which verified earlier claims that Islamic state militants Daesh, also known as ISIL/ISIS, smuggles most of its oil to Turkey, where it is then sold on the black market at reduced prices, ranging from $25 to $45 a barrel.
Citing Turkish security sources, AFP reports some 102 members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were killed in a state military operation to suppress a Kurdish independence movement uprising in south-eastern Turkey. Some 600 demonstrators took to the streets of Istanbul yesterday to protest the on-going military operation, and were later dispersed by police without incident.
Press TV announces that the Iranian government has ordered schools and kindergartens in and around Teheran to close for two days because of smog. Air pollution figures reached three times the WHO-set levels.
Airports workers in Chile have agreed to end a four-day strike that lead to major disruption. La Tercera says ground workers had called the strike after the government rejected their proposal to join a better pension plan, used for the Chilean military.
France Football says judgment day has arrived for Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini as FIFA’s ethics court is expected to ban the scandal-scarred soccer body’s most powerful leaders later today.